New Tougher More Expensive GED

Here at Washoe Innovations High School students have all kinds of goals.

What kind of accreditation or diploma they ultimately earn equals what career goals they have in the future,.

“I am trying to be a registered nurse and I'll probably go to TMCC to try and succeed at a better life,” says Efrain Gonzalez a student at the high school.

“For now I only have 6 weeks before I get my diploma and then I graduate. Then I want to go into the military, “: says Kyle Hutchkiss another student.

For these students a traditional high school diploma is out of reach for a myriad of reasons--short on credits or older than 18, some will take the initial first steps to higher education or career choice by taking the G-E-D or General Education Development test.

Since 1942 17,000,000 have earned their GED.

Taylor Odneal just took her practice GED Thursday afternoon.

“I think I did pretty well, its a pretty basic test,.” says Taylor.

Instructors are encouraging students like Taylor to finish the test by the end of the year.

That's because a major overhaul of the test means students that don't will have to start all over again.

And to add even more pressure, the test which promises to be more difficult can only be accessed through computer and will cost twice as much money to take.

“So basically its become a contract between Pearson and the student. Pretty much leaving the school totally out of the situation, the decision making process. That's a problem for me because if the student does poorly on the GED and gets discouraged they kind of fall of the face of the earth,. We have no diead on the scores where we engage and bring them in and say how did you do?” says Principal Frank Selvaggio

But test organizers put the criticism aside saying the changes are needed so employees know the G-E-D earner is just as good as a diploma holder.

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